Tech services provider Fasthosts takes space at £107m city centre site
A tech firm that's already one of the biggest businesses in Gloucestershire by turnover has been revealed as the first big headline tenant to move into The Forum, the city centre’s £100m development.
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The Forum in Gloucester has confirmed Fasthosts Internet Ltd as the first business tenant to take up office space, in an agreement which sees the company take all 19,000 sq ft of available space at No2 Cathedral Walk.
The huge deal will see the international internet service and hosting provider move 250 employees into the £107m development later this year.
Fasthosts was founded in Gloucester in 1998, before achieving international success and being acquired by German-based IONOS in 2006.
At the heart of the regeneration of Gloucester city centre, The Forum is a mixed-use development brought forward Gloucester City Council in partnership with Reef Group. It will provide premium office space, retail space, restaurants, a Hotel Indigo (IHG Hotels) and a rooftop bar when it opens later in 2024.
Fasthosts chief exective officer, Simon Yeoman, said: “At Fasthosts, our growth has driven us to outgrow our current office spaces, resulting in teams spread across two locations. This move to The Forum allows us to bring everyone together in one central, modern office.
“Staying true to our roots in Gloucester was essential and this space aligns perfectly with our sustainability and CSR goals. This new location is not only convenient for our current workforce but also positions us well for future talent, thanks to its excellent transport connections and sustainable design.
“This move will allow us to create a modern and contemporary environment for our staff. This move guarantees a space that fits the future needs of a hi-tech business like Fasthosts.”
Fasthosts, which provides data centre services for businesses, including web hosting and other online projects, has experienced significant growth. Earlier this year, the company migrated its primary data centre to Worcestershire to better manage its environmental footprint, with the facility now operating using 100% renewable energy.
Peter Langly-Smith, development director at Reef Group, said: “The vision behind The Forum was to attract fast-growth, innovative technology companies and we are pleased to see this vision realised in Fasthosts taking up space.
“Our drive to create a future-ready working environment with high-class facilities, coupled with our commitment to a highly sustainable building has been a real draw for companies moving to The Forum. There has already been overwhelming confidence demonstrated by other companies showing strong interest in the remaining workspaces.”
The building is part of Gloucester’s £200m regeneration project, which includes University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus development on Kings Square and Kings Square itself.
Gloucester City Council leader councillor Jeremy Hilton added: “I am delighted that we are able to welcome Fasthosts to The Forum as the latest business to take up space in this multi-million-pound project.
“The development is now nearing completion, and the site will come to life later this year as Fasthosts and other companies move in, with the public being able to walk through a new city centre street.”
Agents supporting The Forum expect more businesses to follow Fasthosts’ lead to take up space, after reporting strong interest in opportunities at the city centre site this year.
Dorian Wragg, partner and head of commercial property at Bruton Knowles: “This move by Fasthosts reinforces the region’s status as a leading digital and cyber security centre in the UK, which is already home to major organisations such as GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre, and now Gloucester has been named the 7th best location in the UK for AI enterprise by a leading business website. The robust growth of the UK’s cyber security industry, which now generates £10.5 billion annually and supports approximately 58,005 jobs has to be a focus for us regionally.
“Fasthosts will be the cornerstone of The Forum, at the heart of a new digital and creative centre for the city, which will in turn boost local interest, attract further investment, draw visitors and tourists, and encourage residential growth, all contributing to the revitalisation of the city centre. I am genuinely delighted with the role that Bruton Knowles has played in securing such an important deal for the city.”
When complete, the Forum will offer:
A sustainably built, mixed used development: built to a BREEAM rating of Excellent and net-zero carbon in operation.
135,000 sq ft of Grade A office space: providing flexibility for companies to adapt their work environment as teams grow.
Hotel Indigo, IHG Hotels: the upscale brand hotel will open as a 131-bedroom boutique hotel, including a restaurant, conferencing facilities and rooftop cocktail bar.
Car park – Q-Park: 398-space car park, with 39 electric vehicle charging points.
Green-commute friendly transport options: situated adjacent to the Gloucester transport hub, including the £6.4m new bus station and the train station, as well as providing bicycle parking on-site.
Stunning views of the city centre, cathedral and surrounding countryside.
Retail space: Tesco has relocated a Tesco Express within the development.
Whitefriars: 19 award winning apartments designed to minimise energy use, including the use of air source heat pumps, low energy light fittings, and sustainable materials. The apartments won Small Residential Development of the Year at the Insider South West Residential Property Awards 2024.
To discover more about The Forum, contact agents JLL and Bruton Knowles.
About The Forum
The Forum is Gloucester’s ambitious project to regenerate part of the city centre. At its heart is a commitment to transforming Gloucester into a destination that attracts businesses and visitors to the city.
Phase one saw the construction of 19 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, retail space along with improvements to Kings Square.
A new transport hub has already been provided and will act as a catalyst to further regeneration which brings life to Kings Square and improves the retail profile of the King’s Walk area. For further information please visit website: www.forumdigital.co.uk or follow on LinkedIn.
About Fasthosts
Fasthosts is an award-winning hosting provider, based in the UK. From domain names and web hosting, marketing tools and cloud servers, it can help with it all. Its passionate team is available around the clock to make sure customers get the support they need when and where they need it.
The company has been designing new ways to get customers everything they require to manage and control their online spaces since 1999. It has over 1.1 million domains currently registered, more than 10,000 servers hosted across its UK data centres and over 586,000 live customer mailboxes.
Fasthosts is owned by German internet service provider, Ionos SE.
The story above is a press release sent to Raikes in early August 2024.
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